Domino’s Can Now Turn On Your TV (Really)

There is a reason Domino’s remains at the forefront of the user-driven experience. It’s because the pizza chain invests in ideas that most companies would ignore, or just dismiss as downright outlandish. But the numbers show otherwise.

Coming off a bullish first quarter, where the brand saw domestic same-store sales balloon 10.2 percent year-over-year, Domino’s began May with news that might need to be read twice.

Domino’s teamed up with IFTTT, known as If This, Then That, which is a digital platform that connects services through conditional statements called Applets. What does that mean? It means you can now schedule your porch lights to flip on when an order for Domino’s is placed. You can turn off the sprinklers and start the automatic vacuum before the party starts. As your order is prepared, the TV will pop on. Why did a song suddenly start playing on your phone? A pizza is in the oven.

“We understand how much people love using Domino’s Tracker, not only to know where their order is in the preparation and delivery process, but also to plan around that much-anticipated pizza arrival,” says Dennis Maloney, Domino’s senior vice president—chief digital officer. “And now we’re empowering customers to unleash their imagination as they create new ways to integrate some of our favorite innovations, like Domino’s Tracker, into their everyday lives. Thanks to the endless possibilities of IFTTT Applets, customers will be more connected than ever.”

Domino’s Tracker is one of the company’s most successful innovations. The chain has also created ordering platforms through Google Home, Facebook Messenger, Apple Watch, Amazon Echo, Twitter, and text message via a pizza emoji. Basically, Domino’s can be a part of your life—at every stage—these days. Heck, there’s even a wedding registry.

This is partly why Domino’s increased its revenue to $624.2 million in the first quarter, and why president and chief executive officer J. Patrick Doyle doesn’t appear concerned about the influx of quick-service players into the delivery space, such as Panera Bread and McDonald’s.

“ … that is ultimately what keeps drivers happy, is that they're busy,” he said in a conference call after the earnings release. “And the more orders they are getting in an hour, the more tips they're getting in an hour, and that's ultimately what's going to make it a good earning proposition for them and they do really well with us."